Rotatable support stand

Claim 2

A support stand for electrically energizable apparatus, comprising: a base; a platform disposed above said base and adapted to support the apparatus; a grounded electrical outlet mounted on said platform for supplying electrical energy to the apparatus; power line means connected to said base and adapted to be coupled to a source of electrical energy and to ground potential; bearing means having a series of electrically conductive rollable bearing members being circular in cross section and being interposed between said platform and said base for supporting rollably said platform on said base to enable said platform to rotate freely about its vertical axis relative to said base in a continuous 360° path of rotation and for coupling electrical energy to said electrical outlet, said bearing means including an upper bearing race fixed to the underside of said platform and composed of electrically conductive material for engaging said members, and a lower bearing race fixed to the top surface of said base opposite said upper race and composed of electrically conductive material for engaging said bearing members to guide said bearing race along a continuous first closed loop path of travel relative to the stationary lower bearing race; upper and lower stationary contact means disposed within said closed loop path of travel and composed of electrically conductive material, said upper stationary contact means being attached to the underside of said platform and said lower stationary contact means being attached to the top surface of said base of said platform; a first pair of electrical conductor leads connected electrically at one of their ends to said power line means, the other ends of said conductor leads being connected individually and electrically to said lower bearing race and to said lower stationary contact means; a second pair of electrical conductor leads connected individually and electrically at one of their ends to said uper bearing race and to said upper stationary contact means, the other ends of said second pair of electrical conductor leads being connected electrically to said outlet; and ground conductor means mounted between said base and said platform and extending through a second closed loop enclosing the first closed loop, said conductor means including a stationary closed loop conductor and moving electrical contact means for contacting continuously said closed loop conductor to couple said electrical outlet to said power line means.

Claim 3

A support stand according to claim 1, wherein said conductor means extends in the second closed loop path in a plane disposed between said platform and said base, said closed loop conductor being fixed to one of said platform and said base, said electrical contact mounted to the other one of said platform and said base for engaging in electrical moving connection with said closed loop conductor, a first ground conductor lead electrically interconnecting said power line means and one of said ground conductor and said contact, a second ground conductor lead interconnecting electrically said outlet and the other one of said ground conductor and said contact.

Claim 4

A support stand according to claim 2, further including a strip composed of insulating material and extending in a closed loop path in a plane disposed between said platform and said base in engagement with said ground conductor means.

Claim 5

A support stand for electrically energizable apparatus, comprising: a base; a platform disposed above said base and adapted to support the apparatus; an electrical outlet mounted on said platform for supplying electrical energy to the apparatus; power line means connected to said base and adapted to be coupled to a source of electrical energy; bearing means having a series of electrically conductive rollable bearing members interposed between said platform and said base for supporting rollably said platform on said base to enable said platform to rotate freely about its vertical axis relative to said base in a continuous 360° path of rotation and for coupling electrical energy to said electrical outlet, said bearing means including an upper bearing race fixed to the underside of said platform and composed of electrically conductive material for engaging said members, and a lower bearing race fixed to the top surface of said base opposite said upper race and composed of electrically conductive material for engaging said bearing members to guide them along a continuous closed loop path of travel; upper and lower stationary contact means disposed within said closed loop path of travel and composed of electrically conductive material, said upper stationary contact means being attached to the underside of said platform and said lower stationary contact means being attached to the top surface of said base of said platform; a first pair of electrical conductor leads connected electrically at one of their ends to said power line means, the other ends of said conductor leads being connected individually and electrically to said lower bearing race and to said lower stationary contact means; a second pair of electrical conductor leads connected individually and electrically at one of their ends to said upper bearing race and to said upper stationary contact means, the other ends of said second pair of electrical conductor leads being connected electrically to said outlet; a ground conductor extending in a closed loop path in a plane disposed between said platform and said base and being fixed to one of them; an electrical contact mounted to the other one of said platform and said base for engaging in electrical moving connection with said conductor; a first ground conductor lead electrically interconnecting said power line means and one of said ground conductor and said contact; a second ground conductor lead interconnecting electrically said outlet and the other one of said ground conductor and said contact; and a strip composed of insulating material and extending in a closed loop path in a plane disposed between said platform and said base in engagement with said ground conductor, said ground conductor being sewn through said strip insulating material.

Claim 6

A support stand for electrically energizable apparatus, comprising: a base; a platform disposed above said base and adapted to support the apparatus; an electrical outlet mounted on said platform for supplying electrical energy to the apparatus; power line means connected to said base and adapted to be coupled to a source of electrical energy; bearing means having a series of electrically conductive rollable bearing members interposed between said platform and said base for supporting rollably said platform on said base to enable said platform to rotate freely about its vertical axis relative to said base in a continuous 360° path of rotation and for coupling electrical energy to said electrical outlet, said bearing means including an upper bearing race fixed to the underside of said platform and composed of electrically conductive material for engaging said members, and a lower bearing race fixed to the top surface of said base opposite said upper race and composed of electrically conductive material for engaging said bearing members to guide them along a continuous closed loop path of travel; upper and lower stationary contact means disposed within said closed loop path of travel and composed of electrically conductive material, said upper stationary contact means being attached to the underside of said platform and said lower stationary contact means being attached to the top surface of said base of said platform; a first pair of electrical conductor leads connected electrically at one of their ends to said power line means, the other ends of said conductor leads being connected individually and electrically to said lower bearing race and to said lower stationary contact means; a second pair of electrical conductor leads connected individually and electrically at one of their ends to said upper bearing race and to said upper stationary contact means, the other ends of said second pair of electrical conductor leads being connected electrically to said outlet; a ground conductor extending in a closed loop path in a plane disposed between said platform and said base and being fixed to one of them; an electrical contact mounted to the other one of said platform and said base for engaging in electrical moving connection with said conductor; a first ground conductor lead electrically interconnecting said power line means and one of said ground conductor and said contact; a second ground conductor lead interconnecting electrically said outlet and the other one of said ground conductor and said contact; and a strip composed of insulating material and extending in a closed loop path in a plane disposed between said platform and said base in engagement with said ground conductor, said ground conductor being sewn through said strip insulating material.

Claim 7

A support stand according to claim 4, wherein said ground conductor extends along said strip in its closed loop path, the last-mentioned path including a series of smaller closed loops disposed in planes transverse to the plane of said strip.

Claim 8

A support stand according to claim 5, wherein each one of said smaller loops includes a first forwardly extending upper portion of the upper surface of said strip, a downwardly extending portion disposed in said strip, a backwardly extending portion on the lower surface of said strip, an upwardly extending portion disposed in said strip and a second forwardly extending upper portion.

Claim 9

A support stand according to claim 3, wherein said strip surrounds said bearing means and extends between said platform and said base to serve as a protector for said bearing means.

Claim 10

A support stand according to claim 2, wherein said rollable bearing members are each ball bearings composed of electrically conductive material to complete an electrical connection between said upper bearing race and said lower bearing race.

Claim 11

A support stand according to claim 8, wherein said power line means includes a grounded power cord.

Claim 12

A support stand for electrically energizable apparatus, comprising: a base; a platform disposed above said base and adapted to support the apparatus; an electrical outlet mounted on said platform for supplying electrical energy to the apparatus; power line means connected to said base and adapted to be coupled to a source of electrical energy; bearing means having a series of electrically conductive rollable bearing members interposed between said platform and said base for supporting rollably said platform on said base to enable said platform to rotate freely about its vertical axis relative to said base in a continuous 360° path of rotation and for coupling electrical energy to said electrical outlet, said bearing means including an upper bearing race fixed to the underside of said platform and composed of electrically conductive material for engaging said members, and a lower bearing race fixed to the top surface of said base opposite said upper race and composed of electrically conductive material for engaging said bearing members to guide them along a continuous closed loop path of travel; upper and lower stationary contact means disposed within said closed loop path of travel and composed of electrically conductive material, said upper stationary contact means being attched to the underside of said platform and said lower stationary contact means being attached to the top surface of said base of said platform; a first pair of electrical conductor leads connected electrically at one of their ends to said power line means, the other ends of said conductor leads being connected individually and electrically to said lower bearing race and to said lower stationary contact means; a second pair of electrical conductor leads connected individually and electrically at one of their ends to said upper bearing race and to said upper stationary contact means, the other ends of said second pair of electrical conductor leads being connected electrically to said outlet; a ground conductor extending in a closed loop path in a plane disposed between said platform and said base and being fixed to one of them; an electrical contact mounted to the other one of said platform and said base for engaging in electrical moving connection with said conductor; a first ground conductor lead electrically interconnecting said power line means and one of said ground conductor and said contact; a second ground conductor lead interconnecting electrically said outlet and the other one of said ground conductor and said contact; and said ground conductor extending along said strip in its closed loop path, the last-mentioned path including a series of smaller closed loops disposed in planes transverse to the plane of said strip.

Claim 13

A support stand for electrically energizable apparatus, comprising: a base; a platform disposed above said base and adapted to support the apparatus; an electrical outlet mounted on said platform for supplying electrical energy to the apparatus; power line means connected to said base and adapted to be coupled to a source of electrical energy; bearing means having a series of electrically conductive rollable bearing members interposed between said platform and said base for supporting rollably said platform on said base to enable said platform to rotate freely about its vertical axis relative to said base in a continuous 360° path of rotation and for coupling electrical energy to said electrical outlet, said bearing means including an upper bearing race fixed to the underside of said platform and composed of electrically conductive material for engaging said members, and a lower bearing race fixed to the top surface of said base opposite said upper race and composed of electrically conductive material for engaging said bearing members to guide them along a continuous closed loop path of travel; upper and lower stationary contact means disposed within said closed loop path of travel and composed of electrically conductive material, said upper stationary contact means being attched to the underside of said platform and said lower stationary contact means being attached to the top surface of said base of said platform; a first pair of electrical conductor leads connected electrically at one of their ends to said power line means, the other ends of said conductor leads being connected individually and electrically to said lower bearing race and to said lower stationary contact means; a second pair of electrical conductor leads connected individually and electrically at one of their ends to said upper bearing race and to said upper stationary contact means, the other ends of said second pair of electrical conductor leads being connected electrically to said outlet; a ground conductor extending in a closed loop path in a plane disposed between said platform and said base and being fixed to one of them; an electrical contact mounted to the other one of said platform and said base for engaging in electrical moving connection with said conductor; a first ground conductor lead electrically interconnecting said power line means and one of said ground conductor and said contact; a second ground conductor lead interconnecting electrically said outlet and the other one of said ground conductor and said contact; and said ground conductor extending along said strip in its closed loop path, the last-mentioned path including a series of smaller closed loops disposed in planes transverse to the plane of said strip.